BC3's Bill Vlahos bid to $2.6 million for the daughter of supersire Redoute's Choice and Black Caviar's dam, Helsinge, to land the headline act of this year's sale.

The half-sibling to not only Black Caviar but also the unbeaten All Too Hard, who is favourite for Saturday's Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes, and three-time winner Moshe will be trained O'Brien, who has a relationship with Vlahos through neighbouring properties at Barwon Heads.

The Flemington horseman said this was an opportunity too good to pass up and was delighted that, like Black Caviar, the filly would be staying in Victoria's to race.

“It's very rare that a horse like this would be offered for auction,” O'Brien said. “Fillies like this generally would be retained by breeders because anyone lucky enough to breed a filly like this would be very loath to sell it.

“So it was really a once-in-a-generation chance to buy a filly like this, not only the pedigree but she's an outstanding individual herself.

“The mare's still a very young mare, this is only her fourth foal, and she's shown us what an outstanding producer she's been with the three foals that have already raced and arguably this is by the best stallion that she's ever been to.

“We've had the pleasure of watching everything that Peter (Moody) has been able to achieve with Black Caviar, he's been terrific the way he's left her in Australia for so long, and we've seen All Too Hard and it's very exciting that this filly too will be starting her career in Victoria.”

Vlahos won a spirited bidding duel, that kicked off at $1 million – just $25,000 less than All Too Hard fetched at last year's sale – and leapt straight to $1.5 million.

Bidding quickly escalated in $100,000 increments to $2.2 million and while those involved then took their time putting their hand up, there were four more bids before Vlahos got to sign off on the filly.

“At $2.5 million I got a little bit wobbly but we pretty much stuck to our price and we think she's worth exactly what we paid for her,” Vlahos said.

“Too much more and it might not have been us owning her, but it's exactly what I think she's worth and that will hopefully be more by the end of her racing career.”